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The Commoner.
VOLUME 7, NUMBER 8
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CURRGNT GOPICS
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rpMNJ IM0OPLI0 of Wisconsin, 'as well as the
.1 HlnloHiiitMi ni (ho ntilioiiul capital, wore
greatly surprised when, on March 3, Senator
Spoonor announced Hint lie had hoiiL to (hu gov
ernor of his stale IiIh resignation an senator Hie
same to take oll'oof May I. Iif IiIh lelier Senator
Spooner 8JI.VH Unit lie Ih constrained to take this
course because 1'e can no longer afford the .sac
rifices necessary by reason of the abandonment of
his profession. President Roosevelt and Secretary
Tart both Issued public statements expressing
groat regret bemuse of Senator Spooner's retire
ment. It Is generally conceded that tills is a groat
loss to the republican organisation and by some
It Is taken as a danger signal. Coventor Davidson
says the legislature will choose Spooner's suc
cessor.
0-
MONDAY, March 1, Leslie M. Shaw retired
: from the ofl'ce of secretary of the treasury
and IOthun Allen Ililchcock retired from the ollico
of secretary of the Interior. Mr. Shaw Is suc
ceeded as secretary of the treasury by George, !
Cortolyou, lately postmaster general, .lames U.
(Jurllold, late commissioner of corporations, is
now secietary of the Interior. George von L.
Meyer, termer ambassador to Itussia, Is now post
master general. Other members of the cabinet
are: Secretary of state, lOllhu IT. Hoot; secretary
of war, William II. Tuft; attorney general, 0. .1.
P.ounparlo; secretary of agriculture, James Wil
son: secretary of commerce and labor, Oscar S.
Straus; secretary of the navy, Victor II. Melon If.
Secretary Wilson Is the only member of the Mc
Klnley cabinet who has remained consecutively
In (hat of the present chief executive. Secretary
of State Uoot was secretary of war under Mr.
McKlnley and so remained under Mr. Roosevelt
until January 1, 11)0-1, when he retired. Later he
was .Invited to the cabinet by Mr. Roosevelt ami
became secretary of stale.
O
GOVERNOR IIIGGINS of Rhode Island, has
drawn a storm of criticism because of his
address to Hie legislature on "Washington and His
Times." An Associated Press dispatch says:
"Governor Jligglus referred to Washington's great
abilities as a leader, and said that ho was born at
an opportune I lino and Hint he had seized oppor
tunities at the right time. 'It has been pointed
out,' he said, 'that in no walks of life did ho ever
arise to the immense proportions of a genius. Lt
would be unfair to compare him as a statesman
with either Ronton, (May or Sumner. As a soldier
hov Is surpassed by Napoleon, Caesar and Alexan
der, tflvon in our country his ability on the Held
of battle perhaps did not approach the masterly
strategic powers of Robert E. Lee, or Phil Sheri
dan, or IT. S. Grant."'
O
REPLYING to Governor lllgglns Mr. Rurohard,
speaker of the Rhode Island house of repre
sentatives, said: "Even In his excellent address
the governor could not refrain from picking motes
out of the sunbeam of George Washington's mem
ory. I must respectfully say to his excellency that
on the trilling points which lie lias seen tit to pro
duce 1 must differ, lt Is no evidence of George
Washington's hick of education that lie did not
spell in the manner of today. In military affairs
it is a great mistake to think that Washington
was not pre-eminent as a strategist. To tills effect
wo have the evidence of the greatest general of
Europe, Frederick the Great of Prussia, who
wrote of Washington as the greatest soldier of lis
generation. 1 will not admit that anv of the gen
orals of the civil war wore his superior in military
science."
O
ANNOUNCEMENT of the -..heaviest single ad
vance In crude oil ever decided upon "by the
Standard Oil company was made simultaneously
in Cleveland, Pittsburg, Lima and Marietta. The
Cleveland, Ohio, Leader says: "The four Stand
ard otlioials who would discuss the raise, which
is to go into effect at once, said it was justified
by market conditions, both foreign and domestic
The most sensational raise is on amber, or what 's
known as deep oil, which goes up 15 cents on a
barrel. Shallow oil from the same Holds (Ma
rietta) goes up 5 cents. This fixes the price of
Pennsylvania amber at $1.73 and Pennsylvania
dark at $1.03. The price of all other grades, ex
cept Ragland, has been advanced from 2 to 5
cents. The new quotations are: Pennsylvania
amber, $1.73; Pennsylvania dark, $1.03: Tioirn,
$1.75; second baud, $1.03; Cabell, $1.20; Corning,
$1.12; Newcastle, $1.37; North Lima, 02c; South
Lima, 87c; Indiana, 87c, and Richland, $1.7S.
Independent oil operators are astonished at the
size of the jump In prices only. Their views as
to the reasons behind the increase are vastly dif
ferent from the trend of the little informaflon
vouchsafed by Standard officials. There never
was a time when there was more oil more gen
erally distributed in both the domestic and foreign
Holds than today, and market conditions do not
Justify any raise In the price,' said W. E. Wall,
president of the Fred G. Clarke company, last
night. 'The $32,000,000 gift of Mr. Rockefeller to
the cause of general education Is the reason. Of
the correctness of this view there can bo no ques
tion. The raise was expected, although not such
a sensational one. It has never failed. The rjilso
moans that the ii-32,000,000 will How back to Rock
efeller in a golden stream. It must bo remem
bered that Rockefeller and tho Standard Oil com
pany are under indictment. It comes high but tho
Standard must have public sentiment, to a degree
at least. And tho gift will have its' effect. It
cannot help but have. Judged solely by the size
of Ids gifts, Rockefeller stands forUi as the great
est philanthropist in the world. Unconsciously the
indictments against Rockefeller and tho Standard
Oil company will be softened. In tho meantime
it is. well to remember that it is tho consumers
who are really paying the iiddler."
AN INTERESTING STORY concerning a three-year-old
boy is given to tho New York World
by its St. Francesviile, 111., correspondent. Tho
story follows: "Charles Buchanan, who will be
three years old on Thursday of Uils week, is a
prodigy. He is a son of Mr. 'and Mrs. J. D. Bu
chanan, of this place. Ills mother was a school
teacher in Yincennes before her marriage. When
only ten months old ho listened intently to conver
sations between adults. A month later when ho
heard persons litlklng, lie Interrupted them with
such interrogations as 'Why.'' 'Who?' 'What?' and
'When?' Soon afterward lie know the alphabet
perfectly. At the age of eighteen monUis ho had
road and memorized the Third and Second readers
used In tho Illinois schools. He now roads the
newspapers, and with the aid of a dictionary is
able to understand all the words ho sees. He
weighs thirty-two pounds, reads everything with
avidity, and tho daily newspapers to his mother
regularly at breakfast."
T N A SPEECH delivered in the house, Rcpre
X senlativo Tawney of Minnesota, republican,
chairman of tho house committee on appropria
tions, nfado tho unqualified statement that, so far
as could be estimated at that time, tho appropria
tions of tliis session of congress would bo greater
than at any session since the foundation of the gov
ernment. He predicted that Hie deficiency in the
1T for muS would be not less than $100,
000,000, and appealed to his colleagues to do what
they could to keep the appropriations down. Mr
lawncy backed up this statement with figures
showing that tho regular estimates had accredited
$80r.,0S)0,(H3.0S. These estimates had been ex
ceeded in five of tho money bills already passed
by tho house or both houses and senate' bv '
010,208.00. In addition to this, the obligations
fixed by tho legislation now ponding in the River
and Harbor and Naval appropriation bills ex
ceeded $73,034,520. Tbo total was 81,005 'M4-480.0-1.
Tho estimated revenues of the govern
ment for 1008 aggregated $S04,573,240. IIo con
sidered this a liberal estimate, and characterized
tho situation as grave.
O
JOHN M'CARTIIY, whom the New York World
O calls "lumber handler and true gentleman"
twice saved Mrs. Lillian Klllian Dovlo The
World tells the story in this way: "McCarthy
saved Mrs. Doyle once from drowning and once
from the charge of attempting suicide, which
plainly seemed to Magistrate Crane, pretty well
based. Mrs. Doyio, twenty-eight years old, a wo
man of scorning refinement and, certainly, of edu
cation, fell into tho East river at the foot of
Sixth street on Monday, was rescued, taken to
Bellovue hospital and to the Essex Market nolle"
c!lXfc strdl, Mrs Do'le hna SM she lived
at No. 25 Bast Wnlh street, but Policeman Thom
as McCarthy, who had to press the charge against
her, told the magistrate that she is the wife of
John Doyle, a prosperous saloon keeper on Staten
Island, who was in court. 'I'dld not try to kill
myself, Mrs. Doyle faltered. 4It was tills way,'
said Gentleman John McCarthy, who lives at No.
103 Lewis street. 'The lady was looking at th.3
boats when her foot slipped and she fell in the
river.' 'Your'ro certain of that?' asked Magis
trate Crane. 'Certain as certain as can be,' an
swered McCarthy. 'It's a queer place, that pier.
The lady didn't know where she was; she was
looking for a street, I think. We were loading
lumber. I and my cousin Conny Coughlin were
on a raft; my other cousin Tommy Ryan was on
the pier, when tho lady, looking for tho street,
slipped in tho river. All Tommy had to do, was
to dive from tho pier and all I had to do was to
dive from the raft and we got her when she came
up, and all Conny had to do was to pull us on the
raft' 'True, every word, Your Honor,' solemnly
said Tommy Ryan. 'Mr. McCarthy, I'm glad to
meet you,' said Magistrate Crane, and turning to
Doyle, added: 'Take home your wife and be good
to her for you came near losing her.' Husband
and wife went away, arm in arm."
O
THE LOWER HOUSE of the California legis
iire has passed a sweeping anti-Japanese and
anti-Chinese measure concerning which the Asso
ciated Press said: "The bill is known as the
'anti-alien property-holding bill.' It is aimed at
the Japanese and Chinese property-owners in this
state, and is intended to prevent them from ac
quiring and owning property for a longer period
than live years. In urging the passage of the bill
Drew stated that since January 1 of this year
one-third of the property- transfers in Fresno had
been to Japanese. The bill provides that any
alien who does not become a citizen of the United
States shall acquire and hold title to lands in this
state for not more than live years. If within that
time the alien does not become a citizen the dis
trict attorney shal". compel the sale of his lands
or houses. Japanese and Chinese are not speci
fically named, but as they cannot 'become citizens
the bill is aimed directly at them and precludes
them from owning property for more than 'five
years. The measure also provides that no con
tract, agreement or lease of real estate for a
longer period than one year shall be made to any
alien, and any lease, agreement or devise of real
estate made to any alien, for a longer period shall
be null and void. The impression is given out
that if the bill i caches tile governor. he will sign
it."
O
npHAT THE DOG possesses a marked surgical
X instinct is, according to a writer in the Bos
ton Advertiser, verified by numerous instances out
of the commonplace. This writer says: "A Rev.
Mr. Young, who was engaged for a long time 'n
missionary work in northwestern Canada, had
among his dogs, of which a largo number was
necessary for drawing his sleds, one Rover. This,
dog not only attended its own wounds, but actu
ally performed the duties of surgeon to all of its
fellows. Galls, wounds, frozen feet and other like
unpleasantnesses consequent upon the peculiar
toil they had to perforin were systematically and
successfully treated by 'Dr.' Rover. He had one
remedy, the anointing of the afflicted part with his
saliva. Wherever he applied his remedy the cure
was speedy. It was noticed that parts of tho tos
of tho dog's patients which could not be readied
by the dog doctor's tongue went unhealed. Mr.
Young says that the Indians in admiration of tho
Canine's wonderful learning called him Muskeke
Atim, meaning tho surgeon. This instance shows
that the saliva of the dog when that animal is in
health and properly fed has a powerful bactericidal
effect."
O
UT THE DOG, according to this same writer
is not alone in tho nossosslrm nf tiicr, '
r. ,.., i, t , V. s . . "'V"3U "iwuiis
"" v-uiiut, u.u winuuH ins to wnicn nis tribe is
heir. The Advertiser writer says: "Cats, cattle
rats, mice and monkeys are all known to lick their
wounds when they get at them, and when thev
cannot do so they endeavor to get their companions
to perform tills ofhco for them. If the queer little
worlds which they know were possessed of news
papers intelligible to them, it would doubtless be
true that they would be frequent contributors to
those columns devoted to home remedies, and thev
would tell in glowing and convincing language
how they had tried this method with such success
that they would have no other. The Johns Hop
kins men who are inquiring into this subject now,
call attention to an incident narrated by Dr. James
Weir, in which a large monkey figured. The
monkey scratched his shoulder badly on a nail
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